Compact and subcompact vehicles offer a possible platform for the practical implementation of purely electric drive concepts. The comparatively small capacity and frequent charging cycles connected therewith and the comparatively great weight of batteries for the electric drive which are to be carried in the vehicle require a drastic reduction in the weight of the vehicle, in order to achieve a respectable saving of energy and hence an acceptable range for the customer in purely electrically operated vehicles.
Thus, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,069 a three-wheeled vehicle is known, having a front wheel, two rear wheels, with a safety frame and an aerodynamic body design with sliding doors. The safety frame comprises here three crossed roll bars, which are fastened to a complete wraparound bumper by means of three longitudinally arranged tubes. The said roll bars and the associated tubes, which form a roll cage, are fastened at a total of nine points along the bumper. However, such a roll cage does not appear to meet present-day safety requirements.
It is therefore at least one object to provide an improved supporting structure with regard to its crash- and energy absorption behavior for a three-wheeled vehicle, which is optimized in particular with regard to its deformation- and intrusion behavior for the absorption and dissipation of externally acting forces. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.